The Radiance Collection: The Art of Slowing Down
If I’m being honest, winter isn’t my favorite season. And I’ll admit it: whenever winter starts to settle in, I get a little grumpy. As the winter coats come out and the heat turns on for the first time, kicking up its musty smell, my mind fills with all the limitations that winter brings. Gone are the days when we can take the kids on a quick neighborhood walk without spending WAY too long layering on the warm clothes, hats, mittens and boots. Chance meetups with friends and neighbors won’t happen as easily when we’re all tucked away in our cozy homes. And half of the plans we make will be canceled anyway with the onslaught of head colds, stomach bugs, and worse that come with sending little ones to school… not to mention the occasional snowstorm that slows us down or stops us completely.
Cathedral Pines, 15” x 30”
Late last fall, I stumbled on a book called There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather, chronicling a Swedish-American mom’s journey raising 2 young kids. The author offers a humorous and science-backed account that lets us into the Nordic way of life – focusing on the value of time spent outdoors every day as an essential part of childhood. She paints a picture of a more open-ended childhood for Swedish kids that involves spending hours outside each day, in all seasons – and the healthy development and learning that happens naturally through the experimenting, risk-taking, and socializing that kids participate in instinctually when they’re outside. Reading about the slower pace for kids (and grownups!) that’s viewed as “a given” in other parts of the world helped me to think more creatively about the approaching winter.
Soft Light, 30” x 15”
Now I’m no perfect parent, and I can’t say that we’ve made it outside every day as a family, but the book helped me reframe my thinking about winter. I started to consider not if – but how – we could get outside to actually enjoy the days. And a few simple additions to our closet – like waterproof, all-season pants for the kids, and lights to keep us visible on after-dark walks – have made it much easier to embrace the dark and cold.
Ember, 20” x 20”
The author’s second book, The Open-Air Life, takes some of the same concepts and applies them to people of all ages. Friluftsliv (Norwegian for “free-air life”) is the Nordic practice of getting outside to slow down, clear the mind, and enjoy simple activities without an agenda – like swinging on the porch swing or walking the dog – and more active excursions like hiking or skiing. And while I’m not trying to sell books, I’m sharing this to set the scene for my renewed mindset as I approached the pieces in The Radiance Collection. I could have called it the “Friluftsliv Collection”, but I think that would’ve confused my non-Norwegian-speaking friends and collectors. 😂
Luminous, 24” x 36”
While it’s true that winter isn’t always convenient, it does bring an unparalleled beauty on those rare days when the sun glows through a snowy forest scene, or adds sparkle to the gentle ripples of a lake. The scenes I’ve captured in The Radiance Collection may not represent the everyday winter weather that can feel gray and gloomy, but they focus on the gems – or the days that show us just how beautiful winter can be. And when your habit is to get outside every day, these are the days that stop you in your tracks and show you it was worth the wait. ✨
Love Letter, 24” x 18”
It’s no coincidence that I used gold paint in many of these pieces to show the luminous reflections of the low sun on wintry waters. Be sure to take a look at the short videos I included in the web listing for Majestic, Love Letter, Ember, Wisps, and Soft Light to show how the gold paint changes with each angle!
Majestic, 40” x 30”
While we can all stand to add a bit more open-ended outdoor time to our days, the reality is that we need to spend SOME of our time inside – and that’s where art comes in! May each of the pieces in The Radiance Collection inspire you to slow down when you can, get outside (even if it’s just for a minute), and enjoy the view – no matter what the season. ☀️
The Radiance Collection is available now! You can view and shop the pieces here. Which one is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below!